5 Because to me thy wondrous love Than life itself does dearer prove,

My lips shall always speak thy praise. 4 My life, while I that life enjoy, In blessing God I will employ;

With lifted hands adore his name: My soul's content shall be as great As theirs, who choicest dainties eat,

While I with joy his praise proclaim. 6 When down Ilie, sweet sleep to find, Thou, Lord, art present to my mind;

And when I wake in dead of night: Because thou still dost succour bring, Beneath the shadow of thy wing

I rest with safety and delight. 8 My soul, when foes would me devour, Cleaves fast to thee, whose matchless pow'r

In her support is daily shown: 9 But those the righteous Lord shall slay, That my destruction wish; and they

Thou, Lord, shalt silence and destroy.
PSALM LXIV.

That seek my life shall lose their own. 10 They by untimely ends shall die, Their flesh a prey to foxes lie;

But God shall fill the king with joy: 11 Who thee confess shall still rejoice, Whilst the false tongue, and lying voice,

And at thy gracious throne appear. 3 Our sins, though numberless, in vain To stop thy flowing mercy try; Whilst thou o'erlook'st the guilty stain, And washest out the crimson dye. Biest is the man, who, near thee plac'd,

4

LORD, hear the voice of my com

plaint,

To my request give ear;
Preserve my life from cruel foes,
Aud free my soul from fear.
20! hide me with thy tend'rest care,
In some secure retreat,
From sinners that against me rise,

And all their plots defeat. $ See how, intent to work my harm, They whet their tongues like swords; And bend their bows to shoot their darts,

Their crimes disclos'd, shall make ther be

Despis'd and shunn'd by all. 9 The world shall then God's pow confess,

And nation's trembling stand, Convinc'd that 'tis the mighty work Of his avenging hand.

10 Whilst righteous men, whom Go

Sharp lies, and bitter words.
4 Lurking in private, at the just
They take their secret aim;
And suddenly at him they shoot,
Quite void of fear and shame.
To carry on their ill designs
They mutually agree;
They speak of laying private snares,
And think that none shall see.
With utmost diligence and care
Their wicked plots they lay;
The deep designs of all their hearts
Are only to betray.

7 But God, to anger justly mov'd,
His dreadful bow shall bend,
And on his flying arrow's point
Shall swift destruction send.
8 Those slanders which their mouths
did vent,
Upon themselves shall fall;

secures.

In him shall gladly trust;
And all the list'ning earth shall hear
Loud triumphs of the just.
PSALM LXV.

FOR

OR thee, O God, our constant praise, In Sion waits, thy chosen seat; Our promis'd altars there we'll raise, And all our zealous vows complete. 2 0 thou, who to my humble pray'r Didst always bend thy list'ning ear, To thee shall all mankind repair,

Within thy sacred dwelling lives! Whilst we at humble distance taste The vast delights thy temple gives 5 By wondrous acts, O God, most just Have we thy gracious answer found In thee remotest nations trust,

And those whom stormy waves sur round.

6, 7 God, by his strength, sets fast the hills,

And does his matchless pow'r engage With which the sea's loud waves be stills,

And angry crowds' tumultuous rage.
PART II.

8 Thou, Lord, dost barb'rous lands dis
may,

When they thy dreadful tokens viewi With joy they see the night and day

Each other's track, by turns, pursue. 9 From out thy unexhausted store

Thy rain relieves the thirsty ground; Makes lands, that barren were before,

With corn and useful fruits abound. 10 On rising ridges down it pours,

And ev'ry furrow'd valley fills; Thou mak'st them soft with genti show'rs,

In which a blest increase distils.
11 Thy goodness does the circling year
With fresh returns of plenty crown;
And where thy glorious paths appear,

Th fruitful clouds drop fatness down. 12 They droon barran forests, chang'd By them to pastures fresh and green;

Ev'n rebels shall partake thy grace,

And humble proselytes repair
To worship at thy dwelling-place,

And all the world pay homage there. 19 For benefits each day bestow'd,

Be daily his great name ador'd, 20 Who is our Saviour, and our God, Of life and death the sov'reign Lord. 21 But justice for his harden'd foes

Proportion'd vengeance hath decreed, To wound the hoary head of those

Who in presumptuous crimes proceed. 22 The Lord hath thus in thunder spoke: 'As I subdu'd proud Bashan's king, Once more I'll break my people's yoke,

'And from the deep my servants bring. 23 Their feet shall with a crimson flood 'Of slaughter'd foes be cover'd o'er; Nor earth receive such impious blood, 'But leave for dogs the unhallow'd gore.'

PART III.

24 When, marching to thy blest abode, The wond'ring multitude survey'd The pompous state of thee, our God,

In robes of majesty array'd; 25 Sweet singing Levites led the van;

Loud instruments brought up the rear; Between both troops, a virgin-train

With voice and timbrel charm'd the

ear.

26 This was the burthen of their song:
'In full assemblies bless the Lord;
All who to Israel's tribes belong,
'Of Israel's God the praise record.'
27 Nor little Benjamin alone
From neighb'ring bounds did there
attend,

Your army's wing shall shine as bright
As doves, in golden sun-shine seen,

Or silver'd o'er with paler light.
14 "Twas so, when God's Almighty hand
O'er scatter'd kings the conquest won;
Our troops, drawn up on Jordan's strand,
High Salmon's glitt'ring snow out-

shone.

15 From thence to Jordan's farther 28

coast,

And Bashan's hill we did advance: No more her height shall Bashan boast, But that she's God's inheritance. 16 But wherefore (though the honour's great) Should this, O mountain, swell your pride?

For Sion is his chosen seat,

Where he for ever will reside.
17 His chariots numberless; his pow'rs
Are heav'nly hosts, that wait his will;
His presence now fills Sion's tow'rs,

As once it honour'd Sinai's hill.
18 Ascending high, in triumph thou
Captivity hast captive led;
And on thy people didst bestow
The spoil of armies once their dread.

Nor only Judah's nearer throne
Her counsellors in state did send;
But Zebulon's remoter seat,

And Naphtali's more distant coast,
The grand procession to complete,
Sent up
their tribes, a princely host.
Thus God to strength and union
brought

Our tribes, at strife till that blest hour; This work, which thou, O God, hast wrought,

Confirm with fresh recruits of pow'r. 29 To visit Salem, Lord, descend,

And Sion, thy terrestrial throne; Where kings with presents shall attend And thee with offer'd crowns atone. 30 Break down the spearmen's rank

who threat

Like pamper'd herds of savage might
Their silver armour'd chiefs defeat,
Who in destructive war delight.
31 Egypt shall then to God stretch forth
Her hands, and Afric homage bring;
S2 The scatter'd kingdoms of the earth
Their common sov'reign's praises singi

38 Who, mounted on the loftiest sphere 15 Control the deluge, ere it spread, Of ancient heav'n, sublimely rides; And roll its waves above my head; From whence his dreadful voice we Nor deep destruction's open pit hear, To close her jaws on me permit. 16 Lord, hear the humble pray'r I make, For thy transcending goodness' sake; Relieve thy supplicant once more From thy abounding mercy's store. 17 Nor from thy servant hide thy face; Make haste, for desp'rate is my case; 18 Thy timely succour interpose, And shield me from remorseless foes. 19 Thou know'st what infamy and scorp I from my enemies have borne; Nor can their close dissembled spite, Or darkest plots escape thy sight. 20 Reproach and grief have broke my heart;

Like that of warring winds and tides. 34 Ascribe the power to God most high: Of humble Israel he takes care; Whose strength from out the dusky sky, Darts shining terrors through the air. 35 How dreadful are the sacred courts, Where God has fix'd his earthly throne !

I look'd for some to take my part,
To pity or relieve my pain;
But look'd, alas! for both in vain.
21 With hunger pined, for food I call,
Instead of food, they gave me gall;
And when with thirst my spirits sink,
They give me vinegar to drink.
22 Their tables, therefore, to their health

His strength his feeble saints supports,
To give God praise, and him alone.
PSALM LXIX.

AVE me, O God, from waves that roll,
my

2 With painful steps in mire I tread, And deluges o'erflow my head. 3 With restless cries my spirits faint, My voice is hoarse with long complaint; My sight decays with tedious pain, Whilst for my God I wait in vain. 14 My hairs, though num'rous, are but few,

Compar'd with foes that me pursue
With groundless hate; grown now of Shall prove a snare, a trap their wealth;

might

23 Perpetual darkness seize their eyes, And sudden blasts their hopes surprise 24 On them thou shalt thy fury pour, Till thy fierce wrath their race devour 25 And make their house a dismal cell, Where none wille'er vouchsafe to dwell. 26 For new afflictions they procur'd For him who had thy stripes endur'd; And made the wound, thy scourge had torn,

To execute their lawless spite.
They force me, guiltless, to resign,
As rapine, what by right was mine:
6 Thou, Lord, my innocence dost see,
Nor are my sins conceal'd from thee."
6 Lord God of hosts, take timely care,
Lest, for my sake, thy saints despair;
7 Since I have suffer'd for thy name
Reproach, and hid my face in shame:
8 A stranger to my country grown,
Nor to my nearest kindred known;
A foreigner, expos'd to scorn
By brethren of my mother born.
9 For zeal to thy lov'd house and name
Consumes me like devouring flame;
Concern'd at their affronts to thee,
More than at slanders cast on me.
10 My very tears and abstinence
They construe in a spiteful sense:
11 When cloth'd with sackcloth for
their sake,

They me their common proverb make. 12 Their judges at my wrongs do jest, Those wrongs they ought to have redress'd;

How should I then expect to be
From libels of lewd drunkards free?
13 But, Lord, to thee I will repair
For help, with humble, timely pray'r;
Relieve me from thy mercy's store;
Display thy truth's preserving pow'r.
14 From threat'ning dangers me relieve,
And from the mire my feet retrieve;
From spiteful foes in safety keep,
And snatch me from the raging deep.

To bleed afresh, with sharper scorn.
27 Sin shall to sin their steps betray,
Till they to truth have lost the way:
128 From life thou shalt exclude their
souls,

Nor with the just their names enrol.
29 But me, howe'er distress'd and poor,
Thy strong salvation shall restore;
30 Thy pow'r with songs I'll then pro
claim,

And celebrate, with thanks, thy name.
31 Our God shall this more highly prize,
Than herds or flocks in sacrifice;
32 Which humble saints with joy shall

see,

And hope for like redress with me.
33 For God regards the poor's com
plaint;

Sets pris'ners free from close restraint;
34 Let heav'n, earth, sea, their voices
raise,

And all the world resound his praise.
35 For God will Sion's walls erect;
Fair Judah's cities he'll protect;
Till all her scatter'd sons repair
To undisturb'd possession there

36 This blessing they shall, at their' Pursue and take him, whilst no hope death,

'Of timely aid is nigh.'

To their religious heirs bequeath;
And they to endless ages more
Of such as his blest name adore.
PSALM LXX.

12 But thou, my God, withdraw not far,
For speedy help I call:

LORD, to my relief draw near;
more
For my deliv'rance, Lord, appear,
And add to that deliv'rance speed.
2 Confusion on their heads return,

13 To shame and ruin bring my foes,
That seek to work my fall.
14 But as for me, my steadfast hope
Shall on thy pow'r depend;
And I in grateful songs of praise
My time to come will spend.
PART II.

Who to destroy my soul combine;
Let them, defeated, blush and mourn,

15 Thy righteous acts, and saving health,

Ensnar'd in their own vile design. 3 Their doom let desolation be;

With shame their malice be repaid,
Who mock'd my confidence in thee,
And sport of my afflictions made.'
4 While those who hu.nbly seek thy
face,

My mouth shall still declare;
Unable yet to count them all,
Though summ'd with utmost care.
16 While God vouchsafes me his support,
I'll in his strength go on;
All other righteousness disclaim,
And mention his alone.

17 Thou, Lord, hast taught me from m
youth

To joyful triumphs shall be rais'd; And all who prize thy saving grace, With me shall sing, The Lord be prais'd. 5 Thus, wretched though I am poor,

and

To praise thy glorious name;
And, ever since, thy wondrous works
Have been my constant theme.
18 Then now forsake me not, when I
Am grey and feeble grown;
Till I to these and future times,

The mighty Lord of me takes care:
Thou, God, who only canst restore,
To my relief with speed repair.
PSALM LXXI.

Thy strength and pow'r bave shown. 19 How high thy justice soars, O God! How great and wondrous are The mighty works which thou hast done! Who may with thee compare! 20 Me, whom thy hand has sorely press'd,

Thy grace shall yet relieve; And from the lowest depth of woe, With tender care retrieve.

21 Through thee my time to come shall be
With pow'r and greatness crown'd;
And me, who dismal years have pass'd,

Thy comforts shall surround.
22 Then I with psaltery and barp,
Thy truth, O Lord, will praise;
To thee, the God of Jacob's race,
My voice in anthems raise.

23 Then joy shall fill my mouth, and
songs

IN thee I put my steadfast trust;

Defend from shame;
Incline thine ear, and save my soul;
For righteous is thy name.
S Be thou my strong abiding-place,
To which I may resort;
'Tis thy decree that keeps me safe;
Thou art my rock and fort.
4,5 From cruel and ungodly men
Protect and set me free;
For, from my earliest youth till now,
My hope has been in thee.
6 Thy constant care did safely guard
My tender infant days;

Thou took'st me from my mother's
womb,

To sing thy constant praise.

7,8 While some on me with wonder

gaze,

Thy hand supports me still;
Thy honour, therefore, and thy praise,
My mouth shall always fill.
Reject not then thy servant, Lord,
When I with age decay;
Forsake me not when, worn with years,
My vigour fades away.
10 My foes against my fame and me
With crafty malice speak;
Against my soul they lay their snares,
And mutual counsel take:
11 His God,' say they, forsakes him

་

now,

"On whom he did rely,

Employ my cheerful voice;
My grateful soul, by thee redeem'd,
Shall in thy strength rejoice.
24 My tongue thy just and righteous